Tent woes spoil church’s Easter
CTCM wants bent steel roofing replaced but supplier won’t budge
While Christians around the world gather to celebrate Easter, members of Conquerors Through Christ Ministries (CTCM) will have nowhere to do so after their marquee collapsed.
The company that erected the tent – Ethernia, trading as Frame Tents – has denied using inferior material and blamed CTCM members for deliberately tearing the canvass.
Thulaganyo Maseng, a manager at the church, said church members had been using tents for years to worship as they could not afford to build a proper church.
Members made contributions and agreed to buy a marquee as they believed this would last longer, Maseng said.
They found a company in Durban that offered to erect one for R800 000, which they paid in November last year. He said the structure was installed in the first week of December.
Maseng said while waiting for it to be completed, it rained and the covers collected water, causing the roof to sag within the first month of installation.
“This led to the excessive bending of the steel purlins [roof structure] as a result of the weight of water.”
He claim ed the bending was caused by the use of poor-quality material in the fabrication process and structural configuration.
“The roof cover, made of PVC material, also stretched due to the weight of water and was torn, causing water to drip inside the tent.”
He said they immediately called the manufacturer, who offered to rectify the problem, but delivered shoddy workmanship as the problem persisted. Water continued to form pockets on the roof of the tent, causing the steel purlins to bend further, rendering the structure unsafe, said Maseng.
He said they sourced an independent structural engineer to assess the structural integrity.
“Non-replacement of the bent steel purlins or patching the torn and stretched roof PVC cover does not solve our problem as we did not get the value for our money in the first place,” Maseng said.
He said he wanted Frame Tents to carry the cost of the extra steel, but they refused.
Vinay Gosai, of Gosai & Company Attorneys, responded on behalf of Frame Tents.
Gosai blamed a third-party contractor who installed and welded bracing after Frame Tents did the initial work.
Gosai said the third party installed additional bracing that caused it to tilt towards the larger existing frame. This caused the steel purlins to bend, and the covers to loosen and sag.
“Rain water subsequently collected in the covers and to release this water CTCM deliberately tore into the covers.”
He denied inferior material was used, adding that an independent structural engineer did not suggest poor workmanship or use of inferior material.
Gosai said the ministry has been uncooperative as Frame Tents had agreed to replace the covers, but CTCM rejected this offer.
“Regrettably, our client cannot bear additional cost of the steel as recommended by the engineers and Frame Tents reiterates that the damage was caused by CTCM’s conduct.”
‘ ‘ The roof cover stretched due to the weight of water